Video Laryngoscope Systems

Abstract

Video laryngoscope system including a video laryngoscope having a laryngoscope handle and a laryngoscope blade. The video laryngoscope system includes an image capture module with at least two stationary imaging units spaced apart along the laryngoscope blade for providing real-time video streams of a patient's airway passage during an intubation and a controller for enabling a clinician performing the intubation to select one or more of the real-time video streams for real-time display on a display screen to assist intubation of a patient.

1 . A method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient, the method comprising:
 providing a video laryngoscope system comprising a video laryngoscope having a laryngoscope handle, a laryngoscope blade extending from the laryngoscope handle and terminating at a distal laryngoscope blade tip, and an image capture module including a pair of stationary imaging units, each stationary imagining unit of the pair of stationary imaging units being deployed along the laryngoscope blade at increasing lengths from the distal laryngoscope blade tip;   independently and simultaneously generating a real-time video stream from each stationary imaging unit of the patient's airway passage during the intubation, each real-time video stream being different;   simultaneously displaying on a display screen the different real-time video streams captured by each respective imaging unit of the pair of stationary imaging units;   selecting, via a controller, one or more of the real-time video streams to view on the display screen during the intubation; and   displaying the selected one or more real-time video streams on the display screen during the intubation.   
     
     
         2 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 1 , wherein the stationary imaging units are longitudinally spaced apart and mounted on the laryngoscope blade. 
     
     
         3 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 2 , wherein the pair of imaging units include a leading imaging unit proximate the distal laryngoscope blade tip, and a trailing imagining unit behind the leading imaging unit relative to the distal laryngoscope blade tip. 
     
     
         4 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 3 , wherein said leading imaging unit and said trailing imaging unit have a non-overlapping Field of View (FOV) arrangement. 
     
     
         5 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 3 , wherein said leading imaging unit and said trailing imaging unit have an at least partially overlapping Field of View (FOV) arrangement. 
     
     
         6 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 3 , wherein said leading imaging unit and said trailing imaging unit have a fully overlapping Field of View (FOV) arrangement. 
     
     
         7 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 1 , wherein the laryngoscope blade has an underside blade surface for deploying against the patient's tongue on insertion of the laryngoscope blade into the patient's mouth, and an upperside blade surface opposite the underside blade surface. 
     
     
         8 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 7 , wherein the upperside blade surface is configured to support an endotracheal tube during intubation. 
     
     
         9 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 8 , wherein the upperside blade surface includes a major blade surface parallel and opposite the underside blade surface, an upright blade surface generally perpendicular to the major blade surface, and an uppermost blade surface generally parallel to the major blade surface. 
     
     
         10 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 9 , wherein the pair of stationary imagining units are deployed on the upright blade surface. 
     
     
         11 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 9 , wherein the pair of stationary imagining units are deployed on the uppermost blade surface. 
     
     
         12 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 1 , further comprising communicating, via the video laryngoscope system, with a healthcare facility computer system including a healthcare facility database to store files. 
     
     
         13 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 12 , further comprising generating, via the laryngoscope system, patient intubation files. 
     
     
         14 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 13 , wherein the video laryngoscope system communicates with the healthcare facility computer system via a wired communication. 
     
     
         15 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 13 , wherein the video laryngoscope system communicates with the healthcare facility computer system via a wireless communication. 
     
     
         16 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 1 , further comprising a video stylet in wireless communication with the controller. 
     
     
         17 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 1 , wherein the laryngoscope handle includes a power source. 
     
     
         18 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 1 , wherein the display screen is onboard the laryngoscope handle. 
     
     
         19 . The method for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient according to  claim 1 , wherein the display screen is remote from the video laryngoscope. 
     
     
         20 . A video laryngoscope system for assisting tracheal intubation of a patient, the video laryngoscope system comprising:
 a video laryngoscope including a laryngoscope handle, a laryngoscope blade transversely extending from said laryngoscope handle and having a distal laryngoscope blade tip remote from said laryngoscope handle, and an image capture module having a leading imaging unit proximate said distal laryngoscope blade tip and a trailing imaging unit behind said leading imaging unit relative to said distal laryngoscope blade tip, the leading imaging unit and the trailing imaging unit being spaced apart along said laryngoscope blade relative to said distal laryngoscope blade tip, the leading imaging unit and the trailing imaging unit configured to generate different real-time video streams during a manipulation of said laryngoscope blade from an initial blade insertion into the patient's airway passage to a final blade position; and   a controller configured to enable a clinician performing an intubation to select a real-time video stream during the intubation for real-time display on a display screen to assist intubation of the patient.